Method of operating a water gas set



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METHOD OF OPERATING A WATER GAS SET Original Filed April 15, 192'? 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Az z Ffa. e.

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Patented Sept. 25, 1934 yUNITED STATES 1,974,526 PATENT OFFICE 1,974,526 ME'rHon or oPEnA'rnvG AlwArlin GAS sE'r Daniel J. Young, Tacoma., Wash., assigner to Young-Whitwell Gas Process Company, Ta-

f coma, Wash.

original application April 1a, 1927, serial No. 133,625, now Patent No. incassa. Divided and this application August 13, 1928, Serial No.

4 Claims.

'I'he invention relates to an'improved process for the production of combustible gas, and more particularly to a method of operating a carbureted water gas set to produce gaseous and liquid products suitable for industrial and domestic purposes.

The present application is a division of application, Serial No. 183,625, filed April 13, 1927, now patent No. 1,706,686, granted Mar. 26, 1929. t In the manufacture of carbureted water gas, lt is well-known that there has always been produced a certain amount of by-product commonly called water gas tar. There are also contained in Water gas certain unsaturated hydrocarbons which may be condensed or otherwise extracted from the gas in a known manner. I have discovered that the quality and amount of these tars and unsaturated hydrocarbons can be to a large extent controlled if means are provided for a control of temperature and other conditions in the various parts of an oil-treating apparatus similar to a water gas set.. I have also discovered that the addition of various gases and liquids into such an apparatus under controlled condin interconnected, and all the gas outlets are intertions of temperature will materially affect the production of the tars and hydrocarbons.

According to the preferred embodiment of my invention, I employ in carrying out my process an apparatus which preferably includes the prin- 'cipal elements of a carbureted water gas set, so designed that the temperature and other conditions in the various parts of the apparatus may be easily and readily controlled. It is well known that in the heating of a carbureted water gas set, when air is blown through the fuel bed, a producer gas is formed, and that the location of the secondary air to burn this producer gas governs the' point of maximum temperatures in the checker` brick.

No claim is made in the present application to the apparatus per se, this being covered by my copending application Serial No. 526,703, filed March 31, 1931.

The gas making or reacting portion of a water gas set consists principally of a generator or fuel chamber and heat interchanger or interchangers commonly known as the carburetor and superheater. The accepted form of water gas set commonly known as a three shell set, was adopted for structural and operating advantages. Similar results may be obtained in a two or four shell set, but the economic reasons of ease of operation, cost of original construction, ease of repair and maintenance, cost of necessary superstructure such as buildings and fuel handling equipment, inconvenience of auxiliary apparatus and many flctors have proven the three shell set to be, ordinarily, the most economical and efcient. I will describe an apparatus similar to the three shell set, as a preferred design.

(Cl. tlil-208) The invention relates primarily to methods for controlling temperature and other conditions to permit the various reactions to best take place.

The invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which are intended for the purpose of illustration only,

and are largely diagrammatic in character.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing an arrangement of the gas making and oil treating portion of they apparatus, including Wash box and the scrubber, or condenser, in which liquid and gaseous products are separated, no portionof the cracking or purifying apparatus for treating the liquids after separation, being shown, .as any wellknown or standard apparatus may be employed for this purpose.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing a gas generator and two heat interchangers, and the connections for supplying steam, air, gas and fuel, and for withdrawing gas from the set, this construction being slightly different from the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, in that Fig. 1 all the connections for supplying air, gas or the like are connected. whereas in Fig. 2 the air and gas inlets are separate and distinct and the various gas offtakes are also separate from each other.

Fig. 3 is a more detailed top view of the arrangement shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the lower connections.V

Fig. 5 is a view showing the relief holder and scrubber or condenser, including the outlet from the scrubber by which gas may be conveyed to a storage holder and liquids conveyed to suitable separators or stills.

'Ihe apparatus employed preferably includes the principal elements of a standard three shellv Water gas set as the basis of its design. There is, however, added to it Where necessary, means for introducing air or other gases, steam, powdered fuel, oil or other liquids or fuels, and means for withdrawing gas or other products at the following points:

1st. Bottom of generator.

2nd. Top ofI generator.

3rd. Top of carburetor.

4th. Bottom of carburetor.

5th. Bottom of superheater.

6th. Top of superheater.

'I'hese specific locations are selected largely for structural and operating reasons. The object o1' these many connections is to provide both an inlet for the various reacting elements employed 115 in the process, and the outlet for the resultant products at every point where material differences in temperature and other conditions may be expected and the points selected practically cover all such points. Valves or other means of 12g controlling such inlets and outlets are provided so that the direction of ilow through the set may be controlled as desired. For instance the flow may be from bottom of generator through the carburetor. and superheater leaving the set at the top of the superheater, or it may be just the reverse of this. The flow may be from the bottom of the generator and from the top of the generator, leaving the set at the bottom of the carburetor. r

It may also be desirable to have connections similar to the old up and down run water gas set so as to make the flow even more exible although it is believed that such connections necessitating expensive and ineflicient valves for handling hot gases will not be necessary. Such connections are shown, for example, in my Patent 1,751,784, dated March 25, 193D.

In other words my invention consists in providing a method of producing the widest possible variety of conditions of temperature and raw product control in a simplied standard apparatus.

'I'he apparatus includes as a basis of its design the usual water gas set, Awith certain modifications to be described hereinafter, and a's herein shown comprises the generator or fuel chamber 1, and the heat interchangers 2 and 3, commonly known as the carburetor, and superheater, re-

spectively.

These shells are of substantially standard design and as they are well known in the art they need not be described in detail, except with reference to the various connections by means of which the control of temperature and other conditions is obtained. The generator may be supplied with the charging means 80, Fig. 2, described in my patent, No. 1,468,190, and the superheater 3 may be provided with a blast cap 32 as shown. The carburetor and superheater may be provided respectively with checkerbrick 23 and 33 of; any desired description. A wash box 13, relief holder 14, scrubber l5, storage holder 16, and recirculation pump 17 may be provided, these being of any desired construction.

From the bottom of the scrubber a liquid overflow pipe 27 leads to the various devices for purifying, separating, crackingand otherwise treating the liquid constituents derived from the process, such products including tar, certain unsaturated hydrocarbons, ammonia, and many other important constituents. From these constituents I am enabled to separate out a product which may be used successfully as a motor fuel. The specic apparatus for cracking, purifying and otherwise treating the said liquid constituents is not shown in detail, as well known apparatus maybe employed for this purpose, in connection with the other apparatus herein described.

The connections for supplying air, steam, gas, fuel, oil and the like to the generator, carburetor and superheater, and for withdrawing gas and oil vapors from the top and bottom of the generator, carburetor and superheater will now be described.

For simplicity, all gas or air inlets and their respective valves are referred to by the letter A withsuitable diierentiating exponents; all gas outlets and their valves are designated by the letter B with suitable exponents, all steam and water inlets and their control valves by the letter C with suitable exponents, and all oil or atomized fuel pipes, inlet or control valves are designated by the letter D with suitable ex- "and between the various gas oitakes.

Ymay come from separate and ponents. Valves which control the flow through the set as a whole, rather than particular inlets or outlets are designated by the letters E, F, G,

`and H in Fig. 2. In Figs. 1, 3 and 4, which show the various air supply pipes interconnected, and

the various gas oitakes interconnected, additional control valves I,` I1, J, J1, K, K1, L, and Ll are required.

The connections to and from the three main shells of the set, namely the generator, carburetor, and superheater, will be most readily understood by reference to Fig. 2, for the reason that in this figure no attempt is made to show interconnections between the .various air inlets,

In practice it is frequently desirable to have the various gas offtakes entirely separate, for the reason that constituents of widely varying qualities can be taken off from the individual offtakes and used for various purposes. Where, however, all the gaseous constituents are to be mixed in a single holder the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 may be employed.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, the air or gas inlet control valves are designated as A', A, A# and A4. The gas oitake control valves are shown at B', B2, B3 and B4. The steam or water inlet control valves are designated as C', at the bottom of the generator, C2 at the top of the generator, C3 at the top of the carburetor, C4 at the bottom of the carburetor, C5 at the bottom of the superheater and C at the top of the superheater. The oil or atomized fuel, which may be either liquid or finely divided solid fuel, may be supplied through control valves D at the bottom of the generator, Dz at the top of the generator, D3 at the top ofthe carburetor, D4 at the bottomof the carburetor, D5 at the bottom of the superheater, and D*3 at the top of the superheater.

It will be noted that `a. permanently free and 4unobstructed passageway may be had for the passage of gas through the system as a whole` through pipe connection 4 connecting the top of the generator with the top of the carburetor, and through pipe 43 connecting the bottom of the carburetor with the bottom of the superheater.

Control valves E and F are located at the passage 41 connecting the bottom of the generator with the bottom of the carburetor, and control valves G and H are located inthe passage 31 intermediate the tops of the carburetor and superheater.

The air supplied through the various inlets independent sources, if desired, and likewise the products taken oft' from the various gas oitakes may go to separate wash boxes, purifiers, separators, and other known apparatus for treating combustible gas, and its by-products, both liquid and gaseous. 135

If desired, however, the air inlets may be interconnected, and likewise the gas oitakes may be interconnected, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, all the gases passing from a singlecommon oiltake pipe to wash box 13, through pipe 21 to relief holder 14, thence through pipe 22 to the scrubber l5, containing trays 24 in which the liquid and gaseous constituents are roughly separated, as by means of the water, tar, or other liquid spray 25 at the top of the scrubber, the gases passing through pipe 26 to the storage holder 16 and the liquid constituents passing through pipe 27 to the separators, stills and other apparatus for further treatment, in a well-known manner.

Where itis desired to recirculate a portion of the combustible gases taken off from the set,

pipe 28 connects 'with pump or fan 1"?, the said pipe being supplied with a control valve 2,9. Thus when the valve 29 is open and the pump 1T in operation, a portion of the gases is by-passedv through pipe 30 to the main A which supplies all the air or gas inlets.

If desired, a steam or other jet device placed in the by-pass connection may be employed for eifecting the recirculation of gas, in place of the pump or fan 17.

Air may be supplied tothe upright main A through pipe a controlled by a valve al. Likewise valves a2 and aa are provided in the main A above and below the pipe a and 30. T'he air main A connects two sets of pipe connections, one at the top and one at the bottom of R the set, through which the air or gas, or a mixture of both may be supplied to the shells 1, 2 and 3, through the inlets previously described. The upper pipes are controlled by valves I, J, K and L, while the lower pipes are controlled by similar valves Il, J1, K1 and L1.

Similar sets of pipes connect the gas olf-takes at the top and bottom of the system, the upper set being controlled by valves B2 and B3 while the lower set is controlled by valves B1 and B4. An upright gas main B connects the upper and lower sets of pipes, and from the bottom of this main the gas oitake 20 leads to the wash box 13, as previously described.

The parts and connections described above in detail are to be understood as illustrative only, as showing one means for carrying out the processes described herein, but it will be understood that other means may be employed for carrying out the same, or equivalent processes.

I will describe several cycles of operation, all of which will produce a considerable amount of motor fuels and other liquid products, and at the same time produce gas which may be used for industrial or domestic purposes.

1. Blast preferably with air as in the standard water gas operation, but add the secondary air at the bottom of the superheater. This will-heat the superheater somewhat higher than in the standard water gas operation, and the carburetor somewhat lower. Referring to Fig. 2, this operation may be accomplished by opening valves A1 and A4, E and the stack valve, all the other valves shown in this figure being closed.

(b) Rum-During the run I introduce steam at the bottom of the generator, oil at the top of the carburetor, and if desired, at the top of the superheater taking 01T gas at *the bottom of the superheater. The oil introduced into the superheater is vaporized and mingles with the carbureted water gas from the carburetor, further enriching such gas. The temperatures within the generator, carburetor and superheater may be Varied according to the type of product desired.

After such a cycle, I introduce steam at the top of the superheater and take off gas at the bottom of the generator, to make water gas, and to remove the carbon which has accumulated on the checkerbrick. It is obvious that the resultant gas will contain a much larger amount of liquids than standard water gas, which liquids may be recovered' by any of the well known methods.

It is not necessary to introduce oil at both the carburetor and superheater, as it may be introduced at either point, or at the top of the generator, or at all three locations at once. Pulverized solid fuel containing volatiles may be substituted for the oil, if desired.

The first part of cycle 1(b) may beaccomplished by leaving valves C1, D3, D6 and B* open, all the other valves shown in Fig. 2 being closed.

The second part of cycle 1(1)) may be performed by leaving valves C6, E and Bl open, all the others shown in Fig. 2 being closed.

2. (a) Blast preferably with air according to the standard water gas method. (b) Then introduce oil at the top of the superheater and take out the resulting gases and vapors at the bottom of the generator. The gaseous product issuing from the bottom of the generator includes both condensible and non-condensible gases, produced (1) by the vaporization of the' oil or other hydrocarbon, (2) by distillation of the fuel within the fuel bed of the generator, and (3) by the reaction between the highly heated oil gases or vapors and the carbonaceous material within the fuel bed of the generator. The quality of the product varies according to temperatures and pressures existing at different parts of the set, and according to the quantity of enriching material employed. (c) Follow this with a back steam run to remove the carbon. Such operation will deposit on the fuel bed acting `as a filter, most of the heavier tars thus tending to build up the fuel bed, and the resultant gas will contain only the lighter condensible hydrocarbons, which may be recovered. This method of operation will be desirable when oils of high free carbon content are used.

During cycle 2(a) the valves A1, E, A and the stack valve are open, and all the others closed. During 2(1)) the valves D6, E andl B1 are open and the others closed. During 2(c) the valves C6, E and B1 are open, and the others closed.

The gas and volatiles are withdrawn from the bottom of the generator.

In this cycle also, the oil may be admitted at the carburetor, or at the top of the generator, or at' two or more locations at once, if desired, and, as heretofore stated, pulverized solid fuel containing volatiles may be substituted for the oil.

3. (a) Air blast in the standard'manner and then (b) introduce oil at the top of the carburetor, if desired. and at the top of the superheater, taking off gas at the bottom of the-superheater, using no steam during this part of the run. (c) At the end of the oilrun steam may be used, employing either an up run or a back run to free the superheater of carbon. When the set is operated in the manner above described, the principal function of the fuel bed in the generator is to supply the necessary heat during the blasting step to raise the temperature of the checkerwork in the carburetor and superheater sufliciently high to eilciently vaporize or crack the hydrocarbon introduced during the subsequent oil run. The oil may be completely cracked to provide a fixed gas, or if lower temperatures are employed, the oil is merelyvaporized, and portions of the out-going product may be subsequently condensed to produce a liquid fuel having the desired characteristics. The principal purpose of the steam backrun is to free the superheater of carbon, although water gas is produced by the reaction between the highly heated steam and the accumulated carbon on the checkerbrick. If desired, an air blast may follow the oil run and precede the back steam run, in order to maintain the temperature within the superheater at a vrun, the valves C1, H and B3 arev open and the others closed. In making a steam back run, the valves C6, E and B1 of Fig. 2 are open and the others closed. The arrows on Fig. 2 of the drawings indicate the direction of iiow of steam' through the superheater and carburetor into the generator and the flow of the resultant water gas from the generator through the backrun water gas offtake. This cycle, as above pointed out, follows an oil cycle in which the oil may be introduced `into the carburetor or superheater, If the oil is introduced into the superheater, the resultant oil vapors ow in the direction indicated by the arrows on Fig. 2 through the superheater and carburetor into the generator, through the fuel bed therein. The fuel bed functions as a filter to remove tars and carbon from the oil gas, the re-. sultant oil gas leaving the generator through the gas oi'ltake as indicated by the arrows on Fig. 2.

In order to separate the gases taken oi from various outlets, it may be desirable to provide separate4 means for withdrawing and storing gas from each outlet, and Itherefore prefer to provide means for the separation of the gas from each outlet from the other gases. For instance the gases made when no oil is being introduced will be comparatively low in heating value, and may be used for heating stills, boilers, o1 other accessories. The rich gas taken off during the oil run may be first stripped of `its liquid contents and used for commercial and domestic purposes. Any ammonia present may also be separated in a well known manner. f

The gases produced under different cycles will vary materially in specific gravity, and this fact may make it desirable to keep them separate.

The gas after having the valuable oils removed 'may be of such quality that it is not desirable to use it as such. With the apparatus described, this gas may be passed through the set again by any suitable means as the pump 17, and again subjected to heat, which will change it into the desired quality. In such event it would be necessary to provide a valved bypass connection from the pipe 26 to the pipe leading to the pump or fan 1'1.

It will be obvious that the present application embodies the backrun principle covered broadly in certain of my prior patents, the present application dealing more particularly with the use of the backrun as part of the combined process, whereby extreme iiexibility of control of temperature and other conditions affecting the gas making reactions is attained. The apparatus employed embodies the principal features of the standard water gas apparatus as the basis of its design, with modifications, which may be readily applied, and is simple in construction and easy to operate, in such a manner that an infinite variety of temperature conditions may be obtained, whereby the quality and 'composition of the resulting product may be regulated as desired. In addition, there is described an easy and efficient \means for producing the heat employed in the gas making and oil cracking operations, making use of the ordinary standard water gas generator, this generator being utilized for the water gas reactions when desirable. Also, a simple means is provided for passing steam over the checkerbrick of the carburetor and superheater, thus freeing them from an accumulation of carbon.

The raw products used are cheap and easily obtainable. For example, crude oil may be used in the generator carburetor and superheater in place of the expensive gas oils at present employed, or finely divided powdered fuel containing volatiles, may be employed in place of the oil. The gases employed are generally air, steam and recirculated, though for the distilling operation hydrogen, or even-an inert gas, such as nitrogen, may be used in place o'f or together with steam during the back run, to serve in acarrier of heat, or as a source of nitrogen, where ammonia is to be recovered from the product. Also, where oxygen is available, this may be substituted for the air used in blasting, under certain circumstances. Instead of steam, water may be employed, as set forth in my Patent No. 1,751,501. Other modifications and variations may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A method of operating a water gas set to produce gases suitable for industrial and domestic purposes, utilizing hydrocarbon oils of high free carbon content in a three-shell'set comprising a single generator having a fuel bed therein, a single carburetor, and a single superheater, which method includes the following steps: (1) air blasting the fuel bed of the generator and storing the resulting heat in the carburetor and superheater, (2) introducing a liquid hydrocarbon oil having a high free carbon content into at least one of the heated shells of the set, whereby the oil is cracked, with the formation of carbon and vapors,^passing the vapors through the fuel bed of the generator, employing said fuel bed as a Vfilter to remove the heavier tars and carbon, and thus building up the fuel bed with the deposited carbonaceous materials, withdrawing the resultant filtered gaseous product directly from the generator after passing through the fuel bed, and

(3) making a third step in which steam is introduced into one of the heated shells and passed therethrough and into ancl through the generator and is employed to combine with the deposited carbon to produce Water gas, and withdrawing the resultant water gas directly 'from the generator.

2. A process as set forth in claim 1, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon is introduced into at least two shells simultaneously.

3. A process as set forth in claim 1, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon is simultaneously introduced into the generator, carburetor and superheater.

4. A method of operating a water gas set to produce gases suitable for industrial and domestic purposes, utilizing hydrocarbon oils in a threeshell set constituted of a single generator having a fuel bed therein, a single carburetor, and a single superheater, located in separate and detached shells and connected in series, which method includes the following steps: (l) air blasting the fuel bed of the generator and storing the resultant heat in the carburetor and superheater; (2) introducing the liquid hydrocarbon oil into at least one of the heated shells of the set, whereby the oil is cracked with the formation of carbon and vapors, passing the vapors through the fuel bed of the generator, employing said fuel bed as a filter to remove the heavier tars and carbon, and thus building up the fuel bed with the deposited carbonaceous materials,

wthdrawng the resultant filtered gaseous product directly from the generator after passing through the fuel bed; and (3) making a third step in which steam is introduced into the super- 5 heater and passed therethrough and through the carburetor and thus superheated, and the supery(Seal) DANIEL J. YOUNG.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,974,526. September 25, 1934.

DANIEL J'. YOUNG.-

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 87, after "resulting" insert combustible; page 4, line 87, after "recirculated" insert combustible gas; and line 96, after "forth" insert for example; and'that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 30th day of October, A. D. 1934.

Leslie Frazer Acting Commissioner of Patents.

wthdrawng the resultant filtered gaseous product directly from the generator after passing through the fuel bed; and (3) making a third step in which steam is introduced into the super- 5 heater and passed therethrough and through the carburetor and thus superheated, and the supery(Seal) DANIEL J. YOUNG.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,974,526. September 25, 1934.

DANIEL J'. YOUNG.-

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 87, after "resulting" insert combustible; page 4, line 87, after "recirculated" insert combustible gas; and line 96, after "forth" insert for example; and'that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 30th day of October, A. D. 1934.

Leslie Frazer Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

